West Bend, WI – A 41-year-old Illinois man was in Washington County Court again this week. James Arthur Paulick was taken into custody Tuesday, January 16, 2024, following a nearly four-hour standoff with SWAT Teams from Washington and Fond du Lac Counties.
Paulick is facing five felony charges including bail jumping, intimidating a victim/threatening force, stalking, false imprisonment, and knowingly violating a domestic abuse order.
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According to West Bend Police, Paulick is accused of confronting his ex-wife in the driveway of her residence in West Bend in violation of both a pending criminal case’s bail restrictions and an active restraining order.
West Bend Police said “Paulick allegedly pointed a handgun and pressed it into her side,” she drove away and Paulick reportedly followed her for a distance, but eventually fled to his mom’s house on Debbie Lane and then held authorities at bay for several hours until he was taken into custody.
Interesting to note, Paulick was also in Judge Ryan Hetzel’s court on January 8, 2024 on similar charges of felony stalking, knowingly violating a restraining order, intimidating a victim, and threatening force. A portion of that criminal complaint is below.
In the initial case, Judge Hetzel ordered a cash bond of $2,500 and on the morning of January 16, 2024, Paulick posted bond and then the second incident involving two SWAT Teams occurred shortly thereafter.
Calls have been placed to the Washington County Sheriff’s Department to find out the cost of having nearly 40 deputies and SWAT Team members on scene for nearly four hours.
Cases against Paulick date to 2004. Overall there are 14 court entries with cases ranging from drug possession to harassment and bail jumping to domestic abuse.
During the Thursday, January 18, 2024 court appearance Judge Hetzel set Paulick’s bail at $50,000 cash bond.
Paulick’s next court appearance is January 22, 2024 at 9:45 a.m.
January 17, 2024 – West Bend, WI – A story about a standoff with SWAT Teams from Washington County and Fond du Lac County has been covered extensively the past two days at WashingtonCountyInsider.com
Below is some insight from West Bend Police regarding what prompted the incident.
 On January 16, 2024, at 8 a.m., a 33-year-old woman contacted the West Bend Police Department to report her 41-year-old estranged husband had confronted her in the driveway of her residence in the city in violation of both a pending criminal case’s bail restrictions and an active restraining order.
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The woman reported the man pointed a handgun and pressed it into her side during the confrontation. The woman was able to drive away from the subject while calling police. The subject followed the woman for a distance, but eventually fled the area.
During the investigation, West Bend police officers were able to determine the man fled to the home of his mother on Debbie Lane, in Washington County, WI. The West Bend Police Department requested assistance from the Washington County Sheriff’s Department in taking the subject into custody.
Washington County Deputies were able to determine the man and his 76-year-old mother were in the residence. Due to the report of the use of a firearm and the potential for a hostage situation, the Washington County Sheriff’s Department SWAT Team was activated to safely resolve the incident.
Due to the frigid weather, the West Bend Police Department Special Response Team and Fond du Lac County Sheriff’s Department SWAT were utilized as well.
After about two hours of negotiating with the Washington County negotiators, the man exited the home and was taken into custody without injury.
The 41-year-old man was placed in the Washington County Jail by West Bend police officers with a request for charges including Stalking, Domestic Injunction Violation, Felony Bail Jumping and Disorderly Conduct.
The West Bend Police Department extends its appreciation to the Washington County and Fond du Lac County Sheriff’s Departments in helping safely resolve this incident.
Below are stories previously published about this incident.
January 17, 2024 – Town of West Bend, WI – At 8:14 a.m. on January 16, 2024, the Washington County Sheriff’s Office responded to a home in the 5700 block of Debbie Lane in the town of West Bend at the request of the West Bend Police Department. The police department was actively investigating a violation of a temporary restraining order that allegedly included pointing and placing the barrel of a handgun directly onto the victim.
The suspect, a 41-year-old Illinois man, reportedly fled to the home of his 76-year-old mother in the town of West Bend.  Deputies located the suspect vehicle at the mother’s home.  Phone contact was made at the home with the mother, and investigators believed the suspect was inside the home.
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Due to the recent alleged use of a firearm, and the possible hostage situation, tactical units from the multi-jurisdictional Washington County SWAT team and the West Bend Special Response Team were dispatched to the area at 11:09 AM.  As the incident developed, the Sheriff’s Office also requested the Fond du Lac County Sheriff’s Office respond with their armored rescue vehicle.
Washington County tactical negotiators were ultimately able to speak with the suspect on the phone. At about 3:30 PM, the suspect voluntarily exited the home and was safely taken into custody. Investigators learned that the mother was not held against her will during the incident, but she will not face any charges.
The heavy police presence was due to the nature of the incident, but also compounded by the need to rotate tactical operators from exposure to the extreme cold temperatures.  Traffic around the subdivision was restricted during the incident.
Below is a series of stories published as the event played out on January 16, 2024
January 16, 2024 – Town of West Bend, Wi – One person was taken into custody around 3:30 p.m. Tuesday afternoon, January 16, 2024, at a home in the 5700 block of Debbie Lane in the Town of West Bend, WI.
The incident began around noon in the 5700 block of Debbie Lane. A full contingent of law enforcement from Washington and Fond du Lac Counties were on scene.
Roads including Division, Lois Lane, and Cedar View were cordoned off as SWAT Teams could be heard on a megaphone yelling instructions. It is not known if the man was the only person in the home at the time of the incident.
Around 3:30 p.m. a tactical team approached the home, and the man came out and was taken into custody.
The Slinger School District sent a note home to parents, assuring them their children would be escorted home as the incident dragged on.
This is a working story, and more information will be posted as details become available.
Below are previous stories about the Tuesday incident in the Town of West Bend, Wi.
The Slinger School District has put out a notice to parents regarding students being escorted to their home in light of SWAT activity in the area of Division Road and Debbie Lane. See the notice below.
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Kristi Brooks
Assistant Superintendent
Below is the story released today after noon.
UPDATE: Just after 3:30 p.m. one man was taken into custody. More details will be published when information is available. Neighbors in the area of Division Road and Cedar View Drive, just west of Big Cedar Lake, are reporting the roads are closed in that vicinity by Lois Lane with the SWAT Team and Washington County Sheriff’s Deputies on scene along with Fond du Lac County Sheriff’s Department.
Neighbors in the subdivision are reporting lots of squads starting at noon on Tuesday, January 16. A possible command vehicle was also spotted on Debbie Lane and about 20 squads on Division Road.
Neighbors on Division Road say they can hear officers yelling something over a megaphone. The SWAT Team is in front of a home in the 5700 block of Debbie Lane.
Calls have been placed to the Washington County Sheriff’s Department for more information.
This is a working story, and more details will be released as information becomes available.
